eu de toilette (EDT)

Colognes are one of the many things that I like to use in my everyday life. Its just an interest that exhilarates my olfactory nerves that makes me feel fresh and on-the-go all day long. Besides, some has good bottle designs to look and admire at. I began collecting colognes since my lower secondary. The collection is not large or what... but over the years I have collected some of the nice ones. Most of these EDTs are presents from family and friends. Well, for now I'm not that wealthy to purchase over RM100 worth of EDTs as I'm still a student. Here, I will illustrate and describe a bit about the EDTs that I used to- and currently own...

1.   Avon Individual Blue

This is the first ever cologne I owned. It has a unique design and smells quite good. This EDT was given to me by my aunt years back... I believe it was during my Form Two. The colour of the scent is sky blue and I wore it most of the time to schools and tuition alike.

2.   American Impression Getaway

This cologne was also presented by my aunt when I was in Form Four. The scent is really refreshing and musky. I only used it during important occasions and outings. Due to my stinginess, this EDT still stands alongside me till to day! It has been 7 years now and I still have around 1/4 of the cologne:)

3.   Ocean Pacific Blend

After years of not owning a cologne (thanks to the long life of my second scent and deodorants), I received this new EDT as a Valentine's gift from my girlfriend, Sarania. This is the most special and has the best scent ever!! Thanks to my dear for taking time to find the best from the ocean of colognes in the mall. Though it is water based, but the scent lasts very long... as in, it is still detectable after showering! Amazing scent.. this one! I'm quite stingy using this scent as well.. as it is very precious to me:P

4.   Polo Double Black from Ralph Lauren

Polo Black is the latest collection in my line of colognes. I received it from my aunt two weeks ago;) *winks* I was not suppose to get this EDT as my aunt was looking for a nice scent for my elder brother for his birthday. Since she was at it, she asked me to choose one for myself O_o. I'm very lucky indeed:) The scent that it emanates is really strong and masculine. The bottle design is simple and really pitch black as its name!

So far, here are my limited and freely-obtained collection of colognes that I have used and currently using in my daily routine. I thank my aunt and Sarania for helping me expand my line of colognes. However, I will purchase other colognes by myself when my time comes. Arigato Gozaimasu!!

Glass Rod went LOCO!!

 THE Glass Rod!!

This is the short story of this one glass rod found in my University's Pharmacy Project laboratory. I have no idea why it took revenge on me though I have been so loyal to it since the day I began my research project lab work a month ago. I have used it to mix various chemicals in a beaker... mostly to dissolve them in solvents like Methanol and Iso-Propyl Alcohol (a.k.a. IPA / 2-propanol / Iso-Propanol). However, it did not like me today and almost took my finger of my hand. As I was stirring Povidone K30 with IPA, this crazy glass rod snapped into two and tore my middle finger between the distal and the intermediate phalanges!! Thank goodness the cut is not that deep though blood was flowing profusely through the cut gap. Fortunately, I had my lovely girlfriend and a lab technologist to care and place the hand plaster on the wound:-) 

 The Cut (left), The Blister (right) T_T

Now the cut is kind of healing but it currently prevents me from efficiently conducting my tabletting processes - especially where hand is used to swirl the granules over the sieves with proper forces to obtain the uniform-sized granules. Moreover, due to the extra pressure I placed on my carpals area during the sieving process, an uncomfortable round blister formed there due to the abrasion. What an unfortunate turn of events today:'(

 The Floating Tablets (left), The Granules (right)

Whatever it is, I am really glad that my floating tablets turn out fine and the method to analyse the drug will be set to UV Spectrophotometry and I will get to use the newly purchased machine. Yippie!!

 UV Spectrophotometer

Wish me all the best with my research project peeps. Adios amigos!!

10 Years... and still going strong!

I've known the 4 of them pretty long now. Being born and bred in the same small town named Sitiawan, with it's 'magickal' effect which brings great bonds together regardless of one's background. These magnificent individuals are the people that I address them as Best Friends - Nem, Yuha, Mel, and Bavin!

We've been close ever since Form 1 (2000) in SMK Methodist ACS Sitiawan (the district proclaimed 5-Star School). Here is the picture of our more than a century old school... after being recently refurbished.

SMK Methodist ACS Sitiawan

This is where it all began. Hanging out together whenever possible and joining all kinds of co-curricular activities made all the experience more fun and memorable. We somehow get along pretty well despite the misunderstandings that crops up now and then. Cycling was our daily routine to get to places - from school to tuition centres to hanging out in any of our homes. It is the best mode of transport when you live in a lowly populated town and the distance between two destinations is just close-by. Oh yes! Not forgetting our all-time famous Thursday Market located near our school. It is one of the most visited place by our towns people and largely 'terrorised' by students and school leavers like ourselves. The most popular food item sold here are the "Zhēnzhū nǎi xí" a.k.a. pearl milkshake and the Carrot Cake delicacy. 

Okay, coming back to our story, here is a shot taken when all of us went for a trip under the flagship of our school's Interact Club. Look at how we all looked then... gosh!! If I'm not wrong, this was taken in the year 2004.

 Left to right: Bavin, Yuha, Nem, Mel, and Myself

After Form 5, Nem left to UNISEL to pursue her tertiary education while the rest of us stayed to take up Form 6. Not long after that, Bavin was offered a place at UNITEN Pahang whereby he ceased his Form 6 education and initiated his degree program. Mel, Yuha, n myself were left behind... However, we will meet up whenever both of them comes back during their semester breaks, public holidays, and festivals:)

Studying Form 6 in ACS was really awesome!! We had the time of our lives being active in societies and farewell nights... where on one occasion Mel and myself were asked to be the emcees for the English Language Society's Hip Hop Night! I screwed up big time then while Mel was doing it like a pro! Well she was the school debater, so it came naturally to her and stage fright was not in her 'vocabulary':P

Somehow, we managed to get some mercy in our STPM results and went forward to embrace our degree courses. We keep in touch and always look forward to meet up when we are back in home-town - the best hangout place is the Waterfront in Lumut which is by the seaside. Most nights, we'll hang out there... talking away and snapping loads of pictures under the pitch black sky.

The best gathering to date would be last year's Deepavali, that is in the year 2009. We had great fun visiting and going places to commemorate our meet up. That year was special because all five of us managed to be there at one time after all these years. Usually one of us will be missing-in-action as university matters would halt us from making back home for such gatherings. It was really a great moment that we all cherished that time.

Last but not least, all four of them have graduated and working now, save me who still have another year of university life to go. I would like to wish them all the best in their respective working life and will always keep you guys dear to my heart:) Take care al right!!

By the way, this is how we all look now after 5 years (2009) since the 2004 trip to Genting Highlands...

Left to right: Bavin, Mel, Nem, Myself, and Yuha